From the Calypso and Iris Guestbooks and e-mail

May 12-23 2018

I did want to say how much we enjoyed our recent stay in upper Calypso.
The convenience of the water taxi from St. Kitts was great and the Oualie Beach location
made exploring Nevis convenient and fun.
The house was well appointed compared with others we've stayed in.
We especially loved having beach towels, ample clothes lines, a local cell phone,
wine glasses, and easy-to-access wifi.
We enjoyed every breakfast on the verandah marveling at the changing view
and most cocktail hours there as well with our rums and Ting and the monkeys!
The overall experience was relaxing yet active and the Nevisians couldn't
have been nicer.
Urban was responsive and helpful getting us settled in.
Thanks for your help, we hope to return soon!
Regards,

Vicki and Jim Douras, Montrose, CO

March 11-21 2017

We stayed in the Upper Calypso for 10 days.
It was the perfect spot for 2 couples and the villa was the perfect combination
of a fabulous view, privacy, and convience.
Great location if like us, you are diving through Oualie beach as just a short walk.
We also hiked Mount Nevis and the waterfall trail which were great for hikers.
Nevis and the Calypso/Iris Villas are a jewel in Paradise!

Debbie Burger, Canadaiqua, NY

24 - 28 March 2016

Not long enough for the fearless Dogfish Swim Team.
We participated in the Nevis Channel swim.
Our accomodations were perfect for Bruce & Beth / John & Ann /
Jeff & Shelly and Dr. Jim & daughter Chandler.
The veranda overlooking the bay was a wonderful spot
for us all to have coffee in the morning and drinks
and a sunset in the evening. Truly a wonderful spot
for all of us to relax and enjoy our friendship.
As the wind prevented us from the actual channel crossing,
the swim along the coast was spectacular.
We will have to return to Nevis in the future to
attempt the crossing.
Thanks again for a wonderful place.

Just one week in Paradise was too short!!!
We will remember this paraisiac island a long time. It was so quiet and splendid.
No cruises, no stress just clear water, a lot of sun, friendly people,
good organic food (fresh and tasty).
We hope to be back.

Maxime and family, Chaville, France

Jan 13 - March 12, 2015

Another lovely year (our 9th)!
We feel fortunate to have been here while New England was
dealing with all the snow and cold weather.
We've made many friends on the island, and Iris feels like
a second home.

Gareth and Earl, Surry, NH USA

Feb 22 / 2015

Dear Calypso,

We were here in 2009 and now we are back!
The occasion is Hugh and Mary's 25th Wedding Anniversary
and now the whole family has come back to Nevis
(they had their honeymoon on St. Kitts and Nevis
25 years ago!) to celebrate.
We have had a wonderful week.
We swam at Oualie + Lovers + Pinneys and drove around the island.
We visited St. Kitts and Charlestown.
We also had many monkey sightings & great dips in the pool!
We love this place. the view is absolutely perfect and the place is
so incredibly peaceful.

Thank you for your lovely villa -- this little piece of haven!
we hope to be back for the 30th anniversary 202.
Fingers crossed! :)

January 10, 2015
We are off today, having spent an amzing 10 days here at Iris.
Lovely time...
Our favorite highlights were the Hermitage hog roast buffet --
a colonial experience stepping back in time (pricey though).
We loved Nesbit Beach and Christshi Beach run by a Norvegian couple and our
preferrd restaurant was Bananas!

Jane and Julian, London, UK

PS. If you like sailing, contact Miles at Nevis Yacht Charters - awesome!

January 2015

This was our first visit to Nevis and were close to booking in at one of the many hotels,
when we came across Upper Iris whilst looking for an alternative self catering
option on Google, and very pleased we did.
Upper Iris sits just above the Oualie Beach hotel, but with far superior views.
We were met off the water taxi by Urban the very helpful property manager,
who took us up the hill in his 4x4, showed us how everything worked,
and gave us his number in case there was anything we needed whilst there.
It was great having a large well equipped kitchen to ourselves and although
we ate out quite a bit, we really enjoyed making our own breakfast
with fresh fruit from the supermarket and sitting out on the spacious veranda,
enjoying the fabulous views across the water to St Kitts and the mountains.
The fridge was huge, so also great for storing our wine and G & T for pre-dinner drinks,
without having to rely on hotels or bars all the time.
So yes, Upper Iris was certainly a great choice for us, and we loved the freedom
of being able to do our own thing and not being surrounded by umpteen other tourists.

We hired a perfectly good car from Strikers (Suzuki) and had a great time exploring
the Island, along with all its amazing history.
Apart from just going 'to the beach', we highly recommend lunch or dinner
at Golden Rock, Montpelier Plantation (amazing Lobster sandwich), Bananas,
and for a special treat you must try the Pig Roast buffet at the Hermitage
Plantation Inn on Wednesday evenings - very colonial and just incredible.
As for the beach, we loved Nisbet Plantation for its big waves, diving Pelicans,
and a super beach side restaurant with a mouth watering menu.
We also really enjoyed Chrishi Beach restaurant on Pinney's Beach, owned by
a Norwegian couple who sell the tastiest burgers in the world (in my view),
have a great wine list, along with double beach beds!
Oualie beach also good for swimming, and for our final bit of indulgence
we chartered a private yacht to celebrate Jane's special birthday and spent
four magical hours sailing the waters around St Kitts, with the boat's owner
Miles from Nevis Yacht Charters - worth every penny or dime.

Julian & Jane, Gloucestershire, UK

April 2014

We are on our honeymoon and will never forget this beautiful
time at the Calypso villa and the island of Nevis.
Kyle and I are blessed to have found true love with one another
and celebrating God's goodness to us on this island
was a special bonus. Thank you for your hospitality and
the wonderful home away from home... in paradise.

God bless, Christy and Kyle Dukes (Jeremiah 29:11)

February, 2014

Well, what can we say? What a fab villa!
Wonderful views, well equipped.
We had a brilliant time visiting family and staying here.
Horse riding was brilliant!
Will definitely be back and hope to stay here again.

Martin Courtney and Kelly Maynara, Coventry, England.

Excellent, what can I say

Alie Maynard

Absolutely fantastic holiday with friends and family. The villa and the island were
amazing, the views every day were stunning, even in the rain.
Thank you.

My family and I spent the Holidays in Nevis this year.
We stayed at the Calypso and it was WONDERFUL.
The house was even more beautiful than the picture of it.
It was clean, spacious, comfortable and the owners took much care in providing everything
that they can think of to make our visit just about perfect.
OH! and the view......in a nutshell AWESOME.
I loved sitting on the veranda and just gazed at the ocean and the sister
island of St Kitts while the monkeys played in the trees.
The Calypso is located across from Qualie Beach and less from a mile
from Lovers Beach but if you dont want to go to the beach there
is a pool on the property.
The property manager checks in to make sure that all is well and is very
helpful answering any questions you may have.
This is a place that we would most definitely use again and would recommend it to anyone.

Mary "Louvina" Joseph, Takoma Park, Maryland

January 14 - March 13, 2014

Our 8th year in Iris has been as pleasant as all the others.
(This year had the added benefit of very few mosquitoes.)
We spent a lot of time jus reading and relaxing on the verandah.
The island continues to change, but Iris remains a lovely sanctuary.

As this was our second stay at the Calypso/Iris villa property,
I might be faulted by repeating myself as it pertains to our repeat
and complete enjoyment of the one bedroom suite of the Upper Iris villa.
A review written after our last year's visit covers our delight with the facility,
staff and location.
Rather than a 6 week stay on roughly the same dates in 2012,
we chose 7 weeks this year.
Upper Iris was again found to be clean, comfortable, fully equipped and gave us
a feeling of returning home.
A pleasant surprise was finding a new, large, flat screen TV in the bedroom to augment
the smaller one in the living room.
Further, the new refrigerator/freezer had replaced an older, less energy efficient model
and in the villa's shared laundry room were new, high efficiency clothes washer and dryer.

I am purposely reiterating that electrical energy is very expensive on Nevis.
Even though Gary has equipped the units with excellent appliances we encourage all
who visit to minimalize the use of, particularly, the dishwasher and the clothes dryer.
Because we enjoy cooking, I was happy to find Gary's very healthy basil plants… just another highlight
of a perfect tropical retreat on our favourite Caribbean island.

Cheers,

Richard and Liz Ludwig, Sidney, B.C., Canada

February 19, 2013

Hello Maria!
We loved Nevis! Calypso suited our needs very well! - the location was excellent
(my cousin and her husband live at Cliffdwellers and they lent us their car for driving back and forth)
the bedroom layout is great for two couples, and we just loved the veranda for breakfasts
and watching monkeys, birds and sunsets!
The pool was great for a refreshing dip before heading to dinner.
My cousin was a chef in a previous life and she hosted us each evening!
Some fun things we did included hiking to the source, visiting some ruins,
lunch at the Golden Rock plantation, lovers beach, windward beach,
Pinney beach and a snorkeling excursion around Cliff Dwellers
(the only worthwhile spot according to my cousin.
Although we had little contact, Urban was very friendly and willing to be of help,
Claudo and the couple in the other unit were friendly and quiet.
Thanks again for all your help and the use of your home!

Warm regards,

Laura Barkey, Stouffville, Ontario, Canada

February 3, 2013

We are in love with Nevis! The weather has been nothing but perfect.
Much better than the -32 at home.
So far we have:
-Been shopping and to the market several times.
-Spent lots of time at the beach and in the pool
-Watched every sunset, wine in hand
-Been to Oualie Beach (for dinner first night and Breakie next morning, Sunshines (twice), Gallipot, Bananas, the Snackette, Chrishi Beach
-Had Jerk from the roadside guys
-cooked Steak, Ribs, Hamburgers, Hot Dogs on the grill
-Walked on Lover's Beach
-Snorkelled at Herbert's Beach (our only disappointment, not much snorkelling here) and Jim went on 1 snorkel trip to St. Kitts.
-Been all around the island and visited the Med. School (daughter is a Hem. And son in law a Gastro at the Mayo so wanted them to see it as a potential place to teach)

Today we are having Super Bowl Sunday.
Made chilli this morning.
Afternoon's are pretty hot eh?
Might take in the horse races if they're on.
So, I think you can tell we are well and happily ensconced in Upper Calypso and having a great time!
Thanks again,

Rosey, Jim, Bob and Issy, Kenora, Ontario, Canada

December 24, 2012

We are having a fantastic time and love Villa Calypso which has currently
been christened the Princess Palace as the girls feel so very lucky to have
such a lovely palatial yet homely place to spend Christmas.
The girls are out cycling at the moment and the smaller children
are just back from the pool which they are loving.

A very happy Christmas to you too,

Best wishes,

Elizabeth and Bob Frearson, Bishops Cannings, Devizes, U.K.

November-December 2012

This is our 4th visit to Nevis over the past eight years,
each time staying a month or more.
On three other occasions, we rented other small villas in the Oualie area
but there is no comparison with the delights, comforts and benefits of Upper Iris.
We couldn't be happier with our six-week stay.
Dealing directly with the owners couldn't have been easier.
Our flexible travel plans fitted flawlessly with the six-week availability of Upper Iris.

The Upper Iris unit can best be described as part of an up-down duplex
building with the lower area usually rented, long term, to a university professor.
(In our case, seldom seen or heard.)
Similarly, and separated by the pool and grounds is the neighbouring, larger,
Calypso building.
It is also an up-down situation but available for larger parties on one or both levels.
The upper units are well furnished and provide all the modern
conveniences of a North American home.
Urban Jones, property manager,
addressed any of the very few small problems quickly.
This was emblematic of the cleanliness and liveability of Upper Iris.

A quick stroll (5 minutes at most) down the hill delivers a resident to
Oualie Beach and its hotel, dining room and bar, plus a myriad of providers
of island/ocean activities.
A calm and sandy beach at Oualie is ideal for kids.
Close-by beaches are perfect for long walks, swimming and just limin'.
We self-cater but do enjoy the odd evening out at the many
very good eateries close at hand.

I'm almost reluctant to recommend Calypso/Iris as we felt so privileged
to enjoy our stay and look forward to staying again... being selfish, perhaps,
not to have anyonee else interfere with our next visit.
Never-the-less, we highly recommend the entire complex: for a couple in Upper Iris
and/or a family/group of up to 12 in the Calypso building.
My only caveat would be that young children would have to be closely watched
around the pool... although more than an adequate plunnge pool,
it is deeper than most.

If anyone reading this has any questions, please ask the owner to refer you
to my email address.
Nevis is a place to return to... but you have to make the first visit to
realize its ever-lasting attraction.

Cheers,

Richard and Liz, Sidney, British Columbia, Canada

Jan 8 - March 21, 2012
Six years in iris and we still enjoy it as mich as we did when
we started staying here.
Lots of rain this year so the foliage is lush;
beautiful sunsets and a few green flashes. We have enjoyed reading and relaxing on the verandah.
Looking forward to next year.

Gareth and Earl, Surry, NH USA

December 2011

Many thanks for making available your delightfully-sited Calypso
Villa, roomy and practical for our family of 6 with breathtaking views
of the harbour.
Nevis is fantastically serene compared to St. Kitts.
And we often found ourselves on deserted stretches of sand at
Lover's Beach and Paradise.
We loved the steep mountain climb up
Mount Nevis with local guide Sheldon, recommended to us by the folks
at the exquisite Hermitage Plantation Inn where we often enjoyed late
afternoon Pina Coladas, renting bikes from the elegant Wilson down at
Oualie Beach and scavenging for sea fans, sponges and historic clay
pot shards on Coconut Beach.
The vervet Monkeys offered endless
entertainment.
Memorable meals beachside under thatched roof of the
Double Deuce, or at the Golden Rock and Mount Nevis Hotel.
We plan to
come back!
Meanwhile, here's the link to my blog, including a post
about Nevis: chasinghome.org.

Warm regards,

Lisa, John and the kids, Toronto, Canada

This is our 5th year in Iris, and it has been as delightful as all the others.
It's difficult to think about leaving the island.
Maybe next year we'll stay a little longer.

Gareth and earl, Surry, NH, USA

November 2010

As regulars to Nevis for the last five years me and my wife
enjoyed the visit again, as always.
What a difference a villa makes.
Having passed this area and Calypso villa so many times before we
decided to book it and didn't regret it.

We hope Nevis will keep its past and present spirit,
continue to develop gradually and will not become
victim of over ambitious property developers and politicians.
Keep our warm and genuine Nevis for many years to come.
Hope to be back soon.

We have been to Nevis many times, and have stayed in
a few different places, We can honestly say that staying in
Calypso Villa made our holiday extra special because of all
the 'home comforts', we had everything we needed,
and the views were spectacular!

Thank you for everything, and please thank Urban
for agreeing to drop us at the Sea Bridge Ferry.

We will contact you again to see if the Villa is
available for our next visit.

We really had a great time!
It is a wonderful place - both your house and the island!
We had terrific weather too.

We went to dinner at Miss Junes one evening - what
an interesting woman.
She said that if she had known it was my birthday,
she would have decorated and invited more people.
We also ate at the resort across the street a few times
- very nice people there!

If I get a chance to go back to Nevis, or have
friends planning a vacation, I'll be in touch.

Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving to you, too.

Julie

Nov 09

My 50th on Nevis! What a great experience with 7 of my dearest
friends. Lyn was our guide for our hike and Coby took us snorkeling.
Miss June is not to be missed -- but really -- don't eat all day and plan
to stay past midnight. Steve & Hillary are great cab drivers --
including to and from Miss June's! We hope to come back -- soon!
Oh -- and let Jim and Marcela take care of you over at Oualie Bay
Resort for dinner, breakfast, drinks, etc. Have fun!

Dear Maria - we just got back to Bath, having stopped off in Paris then London.
We all had a marvellous time and really enjoyed our stay in your comfortable
and very well-equipped apartments; this was the holiday-never-to-forget
that I wanted our 7 grandchildren to have, and it certainly was.

As I think I told you, my wife was born in Montserrat - and cousin of
the late Nevis artist Eva Wilkin - and although she doesn't want to see
Montserrat in its ravaged state it was a happy chance that the trusty (?!)
Sea-Hustler was going there on a day-trip on Easter Monday, so the grandchildren
at least got to visit.
We also had a personal steel-band concert on the verandah,
which delighted your English neighbour, Jerry.

As you could probably tell from the rather brusque enquiry sent from Guadeloupe,
the family were concerned about sleeping arrangements since it was rather cramped
in the French villa, but they all fitted-in perfectly well, as you assured me.
The setting and sunset view from your terraces is splendid, and we congratulated
Urban on his building skills; I pointed out damage to a door screen at Iris
(a child failed to realize it was there) but he assured me it would be no problem
for him to fix... I hope so.
It was a charming touch to have vases of Bougainvillea to greet us in each apartment.

Thank you again,

Felix

April 20 '09

I wanted our grandchildren -- 8 to 15 -- to experience something of my
wife's W. Indian (Montserrat) background, and they have loved it here
-- as can be seen from their comments in "Iris". So have I, and what a
perfect spot. A happy encounter on the last night before our 13-strong
family departed (end of half-term holidays!) bought Charles
"Babathuji" Moore and his steel drum to perform on the verandah:
memorable!

Felix & Lilian Moore, Bath, England.

Villa Calypso & Iris 11th - 16th April 09

We had a really nice time in the villa. I really enjoyed it!

Barit Bowdler (aged 10)

All 7 of the Moore/Bowdler kids staying in Iris had an amazing time.
The view was amazing, watching sun go down with a steel band
playing was magical. I'm definitely saving up for a trip here again.

William Moore (aged 12)

I will never forget my time here and the experience has been
phenomenal.

Thomas Moore (age 9)

We had an amazing time here in Iris. I hope we come back again.

Lilian Moore -- London, England (aged 13)

My name is Iris so I quite like staying in my own villa. I really
enjoyed the experience. Even though Nevis is a small island you can
have loads of fun!

Iris Boudler (aged 8)

What a lovely island Nevis is. And this is the nicest spot. Shell-
hunting on Pinney's Beach; lobster at the Gallipot; having Lovers
Beach all to ourselves; a day trip to Montserrat; Charles "Babathuji"
More the steel drum player coming here for a private gig; rum; seeing
the Green Flash (yes, I'm a believer). And the pool was just right for
cooling off in.

Roger Boudler (46),Hampstead, London

A perfect spot: have accommodated a family group of 15 with
comfort. Children really loved having their own houses & the
monkeys. View unrivalled. Wonderful holiday: but too short! Last
came to Nevis when I was 10 & lovely to give children same
experience.

Christina Bowdler

Amazing experience! Lovely weather; beautiful beaches; just perfect!
It was great here, having lovely villas and a brilliant setting all at once!
I can't wait to tell my friends all about it when I get back to England!
To sum up my time here, I just had to use one word -- FANTASTIC!!!

By Valdis Moore, London, England (aged 10, 11 quite soon)

I was born and brought up in Montserrat (my family having lived there
for 4(?) generations. So I just had to bring all seven of my
grandchildren -- to see my roots -- but of course I couldn't go with
them for the day there -- too painful for me. But they loved it
as they did the week here. I found this place perfect too. I shall keep
it as a happy, happy memory back in cold England - Bath. I soaked
my arthritic knew in the Nevis "Bath" hot springs. Good luck to villas
Iris & Calypso.

The six of us had a great time in Calypso.
It was very confortable and well furnished.
We really enjoyed the island it has become one of our favorites to return.
We sure enjoyed watching the monkeys ever morning, the hiking, snorkeling,
golfing at Cat Gaught and the wonderful restaurants.
I've attached a couple of pictures for your use.

Thanks again, Marcia and Larry

21 March 09
We were last on Nevis 20 years ago for our honey moon. We stayed
on St.Kitts but came over for the day and loved it. So here we are
now, 20 year later back on Nevis with our four children and we have
had a fantastic time. We loved lover's beach - the kids had a
wonderful time playing in the waves. The view is phenomenal, and
we loves the monkeys! They visited us a couple of times! We
enjoyed our rainforest hike with Jim Johnson and our snorkel with
Barbara from Under The Sea. Aladin was also a big hit. We had a
great day trip to St.Kitts!

Thank you for a fantastic Nevis vacation!
We spent an idyllic week in
Upper Calypso, and we are confident that we could not have found a
more serene spot.
The accommodations were bright, airy and
well-appointed.
We relished the self-sufficiency of staying in Upper
Calypso, but were equally impressed by the attentiveness of Urban, who
personally checked in on us during our stay, and Mildred, who made
sure that the house was spotless for our arrival.
Read more...

We are currently at your fabulous villa in Nevis and we are having a great time.
Thank you so much for letting us stay at your place.
I have a question about our check out on Thursday.
Is there someone else checking in that day?
If not, would it be possible to check out around 2 or 3 pm?
The reason being that me and my wife would like to do a couple of extra
dives with Ellis at Scuba Safaris on Thursday before going to St. Kitts
for the remainder of our trip.
It's not a big deal but it would be highly appreciated.

Thank you, Marco

Jan 12 - Mar 12, 2009
Another lovely two months in Iris have come and gone. Sitting on the
verandah enjoying the beautiful scenery is one of our greatest
pleasures. This year we saw the green flash! Even now we're looking
forward to our return.

I was going to e-mail you as soon as I’d downloaded our photos, as we took lots of the gorgeous
view from Calypso which we thought may be useful for your website....
Sorry it’s taken me a few days – we had problems with ALL our 4 cameras!!

We had a marvellous stay at your beautiful villa.
It really is SO well equipped,
and also very practical as well as being relaxing and very spacious.
It was very kind of Urban to put some things in the fridge for us when we arrived,
and great to find basics like rice and pasta there, as we did not get a car at first.
It was great to have the pool there – Louis spent lots of time in it.
We loved occasionally seeing the families of monkeys in the garden from your balcony,
especially a mother and baby.
We also went on a turtle walk one night with conservationist Lemmy, and saw
3 massive turtles, and watched the Hawksbill and the green one laying eggs
then walking down to the sea at Lovers Beach.

We also liked being close to Oualie beach and resort, as it’s a very friendly
low key resort.
The dive /snorkelling set up nearby is great – highly recommended.
We also loved Herbert’s beach, so close to Nisbet but virtually deserted – paradise!

We loved all of Nevis.
We’ve been to at least 4 other Caribbean islands but think Nevis is certainly
the friendliest and can match the scenery and wildlife of all the others.
It’s really easy to get from St Kitts’ airport to the villa (we’d been put off
by the fact there were no direct flights to Nevis when thinking about visiting before).
We got Seamoss taxi, then Seabrat water taxi across straight to Oualie, which
is more expensive than the ferry but much more direct and it allowed us to spend 3
more precious hours on the beach on our last day.

If you would like to put any of these comments on your website, or would like to
post something on ‘tripadvisor’ you are most welcome!

We would like to come back when money permits, and will be recommending your villa
to our friends.
Does it get booked up very quickly in the high season?

I will email you the images of the view etc if they come out ok, or
I could post you a disc? We thought the view was even better in real
life than in the pic on your website as all the foliage has grown up
quite a bit now so you see less of the road.

Many thanks, and best wishes,

Suzsi Corio + Nik Randall and Louis,
London, England

Aug 4 - 18th 2008

What a lovely, well equipped & welcoming villa. We agree that it is
even better than it looks on the website -- we'll try + email you some
photos we've taken of the view from U. Calypso now that the
vegetation has grown a bit (since web photos were taken). It's an ideal
location with the family-friendly & laid-back Oualie beach hotel
nearly & the beautiful quieter beaches just round the corner. Our
favorite things so far:

Turtle Watching/ Conservation with Lemmy. Lemmy is employed by
the government/ www.cccturtle.org to track the turtles on Lovers
Beach (evenings) & lets visitors accompany him & help. N.B. this is
not a tourist trip, but if you don't mind helping to dig rotting turtle
eggs and live baby turtles out of nests, etc etc you will be rewarded
with a magical, memorable experience. Although you can't be
guaranteed to see turtles, last night 11th August from 9 pm - midnight
we saw a massive green turtle laying her eggs, catrug (?) up the nest &
then lumbering down to the sea. We helped cover her tracks from nest
to sea so that poachers would not find her eggs. Lemmy then spotted
signs of a Hawksbill turtle (almost as big -- about 1 meter long!) &
whilst she was finishing laying her eggs L spotted the remains of a
Leatherback turtle's nest. Although most of the baby leatherback
turtles had already hatched & got down to the sea, the nest had to be
excavated to monitor how many eggs had been laid/ hatched & to see
if any weaker baby turtles remained. Some of us helped dig down at
least 2 1/2 feet (a smelly business as the nest was full of rotting eggs!).
We fund 8 live baby leatherbacks & Lemmy counted hatched shells.
He also squeezed out part formed embryos from other shells -- a bit
gruesome, but part of the process of nature. We then took the 8
survivors down to about 10 feet from the shore & released them. As
only 1 out of 1,000 babies survive, they need all the help they can get!
We then went back & watched him tag & check the big Hawksbill &
watched her walk down to the sea. It was a fantastic experience -- the
fee is a generous donation towards the turtle's conservation -- give as
much as you can as he's so committed & informative! To contact
Lemmy, call 1 869 665 1814 or go to www.cccturtle.org to find out
more. Meet in car park on left just before airport at 9 pm but do call
first! Phew! If you haven't fallen asleep after that essay:

Other lovely places:

Golden Rock Plantation Inn (* closed end Aug - Nov for food)
(as mentioned by other visitors). Lovely for lunch in very relaxing
luck surroundings. Owners kindly let us use their lovely,
contemporary swimming pool after lunch & we had it all to ourselves.
One of the best pools I've ever been in. Lots of good hikes from here
& lots of green monkeys around.

Herbert's Beach
Just past Lovers Beach & airport & past Nisbet Beach there's actually
a sign pointing to Herbert's Beach, a very quiet silver sand beach with
lots of palms & a long pole sticking out into the water which kept our
son (& his dad!) amused for ages as he "walked the plank" & jumped
into the sea. A good place for making friends with other "plank
walkers" if anyone else is around. Very clear water & quite good for
snorkeling too.

Hello Maria
Sorry for the delay in replying to your mail but we've been crazy busy.
Thanks you so much we had a wonderful stay and the villa
was just great nothing was lacking and you have a million dollar view.
Next time we visit Nevis (and we will) we'll be sure to contact you first.
We'll be recommending your villa and Nevis to all friends and family.
Best regards
David

We just wanted to let you know that we had a wonderful time at your Upper Calypso Villa.
We honestly did not want to come home!
It was absolutely lovely!
You have a wonderful person taking care of the property, Urban was so nice to us!
Thank you so much!
We hope to return to your villa in the future!

In the book at the Upper Calypso, we mentioned how amazed we were that the property was
better than the pictures on the website!
You never know booking online!
We loved everything about it!

Ann, Kevin & Matt Dennis

22 February 2009
Maria,

We were pleasantly surprised that the villa Calypso was more beautiful
than it looked on the website. You never know when looking online!
We appreciated the special touches; fresh flowers were lovely. Urban
is amazing! What a personality!

just wanted to tell you what I am sure you hear over and over..your place is wonderful.
So perfect for couples and families.
We are so glad that we did also rent the lower Calypso when all six of us were there at the same time.
Then what can you say about the breath taking view, the pool, the beach, the Islanders - etc., etc....
and of course Urban and the woman who comes to clean were so very nice.
The fresh flowers and call from Urban upon our arrival were such a warm touch.
I don't know how you ever leave there. Ha. Well, probably because like us you have to come back to work and reality.
The people staying in Upper and Lower Iris were so friendly and we always felt so safe and comfortable at the house and anywhere we were on the Island.

I could, of course, go on and on.
I just can't get over how our friends were so lucky in finding your Villas to rent...
that particular part of the Island, etc.
When we took a drive around the Island our friends told us how they were close to renting something
at the Nesbit Resort (I'm not sure I have the name quite right)..
and then when my husband and I decided to come, it wasn't big enough and they chose your place.
I am so glad... It was just perfect on Oualie Beach.

I dream of a day when my husband and I can go back with our family...
"A dreamer lives forever" right?
Best wishes to you.

Nancy Caid

15 February 2008

Another beautiful day at Upper Calypso. I am sitting on the veranda
this morning -- as we have done every morning since we arrived. The
view is breathtaking. Today not a cloud in the sky -- perfect in every
way except that we are packed & waiting for a taxi to take us home --
to a cold & snowy Michigan. We are so glad to have discovered Nevis
& Maria's wonderful place on the hill overlooking the water. Thank
you for sharing it.
Barry & Linda Pategdl had two weeks of this Paradise -- sharing the
first week with Rick & Kathy Snyder -- finding all the great places to
visit and eat. The Oualie Beach & the hotel are so perfectly
convenient -- good food & entertainment at the hotel -- an awesome
beach -- their week was highlighted when a sailboat ride with Miles &
"G". Miles owns one of the boats we can see anchored out on the
water -- they went on a 4 hour trip to St.Kitts to snorkel. Miles & "G"
-- the perfect hosts & guides -- they strongly recommend this.

Dinner at Gallipot was wonderful. The second week Snyders had left
& Matt & Nancy Caid joined the Patgdls. So how nice to spend
Valentines Day in Nevis -- a perfect beach day -- dinner at Gallipot
(try the grilled lobster) & back for nightcap & entertainment at the
Hotel Bar.

Sunshine Beach Bar -- very interesting. Shirley's a fun place to walk
to out by Lovers Beach. Shopping in town was great.

The monkeys -- cows -- goats etc -- were so fun to see.

The neighbors in Upper & Lower Iris -- so very nice. And, of course,
Urban made us feel very welcome -- and made us aware he was there
for our every need -- the flowers -- fresh flowers -- were a very nice
farm touch.

We will treasure those memories forever. Just saying goodbye to
Urban now.

Thank you -- Barry & Linda, Kathy & Rick, Matt & Nancy.

January, 15 - March 15, 2008

It's amazing how quickly two months have passed.
We've thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Iris and hope to return for another two months
next year.

I am finally back to the reality that is New England in the winter.
Ahh, to think of the days we spent so endlessly on the beach or on the veranda...
just now sweet, sweet memories.
What a beautiful and friendly island.
Urban is a true gem of a man, so generous and gracious.
Please, make sure to tell him how much we appreciated his hospitality.
Thank you for everything and if we ever have the good fortune to return to Nevis,
we know where we will stay.
It was perfect.
Happy New Year to you and may your days be filled with peace and abundance,
Lorna

1.5.08

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year for the 10 Ashe - McGilpin-
Jackson-Craig family members who spent two+ weeks at Calypso.
We were very lucky to be able to spend time together in such a
wonderful setting. Good food, good times... we loved it all.

Karen Ashe

P.S. from Arletta Ashe the Birthday Girl (70). From the moment I
moved into your home, it was love at First Sight. Hung your
hammock and Never got out of it, read a lot of books, ate great meals,
loved Bananas. I will miss soft tropical breezes + the Sun, what More
Could I want with my family around me. God Bless,

We have had the glorious gift of staying at Calypso for the past 2
weeks. The view is nothing but incredible at all times of the day, even
during the rain. Plenty of room for a family of ten and we loved
walking the hill as many as 5 times a day. That's one way to keep the
pounds at bay while feasting on the glorious foods & rum punches of
Nevis!

We loved to swim daily at Oualie Beach, but the trek around the
corner to Lover's Beach was always worth the effort. We couldn't
leave without many heartfelt thanks to Urban for his kindness &
generosity. We leave you now as friends, no longer just visitors.
Nevis is a very special island.

Much love, peace and abundance in 2008 & beyond.

Lorna Jeffrey Seneca & Texeira from Martha's Vineyard,
Massachusetts

December 16-22, 2007, 2007

This [Iris] is a wonderful place to stay on a beautiful island.
Our first visit, but not the last.
Iris/Calypso have some of the prettiest flowers anywhere; and a wonderfully private pool.
Our adventures included a nigh drive to Bananas restaurant - watch out for the monkeys!
Worth the trip. Also fun was Thursday night at Nisbet Plantation - very good food and
reggae music.We also loved the Botanical garden - a magical place.
Good food @ sunshines on Pinney's Beach,
which is the best beach for a long walk.
Best-tasting rum is Cavalier (Antigua) - the Belmont, made here, is poretty rough.

George, Carol, Nora, and Suzanne Lynch, Southampton, NY, USA

October 28, 2007
Thank you, Calypso we have had 2 brilliant weeks here in Nevis
the Calypso has provided us with all the home comforts.
We came as a family of 13 and have had a brilliant time, we have
stayed in the Iris + Calypso it is such a beautiful place the views
are amazing from the Upper Calypso.
We have seen plenty of monkeys in the trees outside the villa
we have also seen a frog, plenty of lizards and after a heavy
downpour of rain we saw a donkey spider (not for the weak hearted like me).
We have also seen some very large caterpillars.
While here we spent most of our time on Oualie beach or in the pool.
We have visited Pinney’s beach -- Sunshine bar this is nice to listen
to music & relax this has also been visited by plenty of famous people.
We ate out at Coconut Grove although a little on the expensive side the
service was 5 star they are so friendly.
Also a big thank you to Urban Jones he was the perfect host, always
there when you need him.
“Thank You” we will definitely be coming back next year, so Calypso we will
see you in the near future. Thanks.

The Jones family -- from England, Sheffield.

October 23, 2007

My family and I have traveled all the way
from Sheffield, England.
13 of us in total, three generations.
Some for the very first time.
My wife and I have only managed to come here for one
week, so we have stayed here in Iris.
First impressions of the island: “Beautiful and tranquil.”
From stepping off the plane in St. Kitts
(the place my father Uriel aka “Fur” grew up) to getting on to the
ferry to Nevis (the island my father was born on).
The people we have met during our short stay
here have been so friendly and so helpful.
On our numerous car journeys around this lovely island, the
honking of a friendly horn, and many, many waving of hands is
something we from England are not familiar with.
The Iris is somewhere I would really
recommend to others in England
and a place I would and will be coming back to,
for much longer.

Jerome and Rachel Jones, Sheffield, England.

September 17, 2007

Only been here for one week but have really enjoyed our holiday --
quiet due to time of year.
Weather has been great and we have found Iris to be very
comfortable and convenient for the beach.

The Thompsons -- England.

3rd September - 24th September

Hello Calypso from the Walwyns, Sharrys, Mukwedeyas,
Thompsons, Adams and Carrou!
Calypso is well suited for our group which were nine adults and
one child (9 months old Joshua).
We really enjoyed our stay, as the weather, the view,
and prompt management by Urban was excellent.
Although we did not get to eat out much (as
most places were closed) we were able to make
great meals with the facilities.
It was great to have Oualie Beach Hotel open for meals.
We recommend an isalnd tour with “Teach” tours.
A`rented car is a must to get around and Nevis Rentals gave the best
price and and delivered the car wherever you wanted it to be.
Although we are a family that some were born in Nevis,
and others are offspring of the natives we love to visit and think it is a
great place.
Joshua (9 months) had a great time and the fans came
in handy on the very hot nights.
The downside is our stay was the steep hill when walking up.
But in all we had a great time here!
God bless and thanks!

August 5, 2007

A lovely week of peace and quiet.
The breezes on the terrace helped the cold
beer and iced wine go down even better.
Urban was very helpful.
We now move on to St. Marten!

Leigh and Gaynor Tong, Holland.

July 21 - Aug 18, 2007

Hi Calypso.
It’s the Haughtons and the Smithens again.
Thanks once again.

May 29th, 2007

It’s our last night here, and we are so sad to leave.
We have enjoyed 9 blissful days on the island,
and especially here at Iris.
The weather at home is still chilly,
and we will miss the amazing view when we wake up
and watch the sunset from our veranda.
The pool is a wonderful treat after hiking up the hill,
and one more we will miss!
We would love to come back to visit again!

Jackie and Bethany, Minneapolis, MN

Feb. 28, 2007

Tomorrow we will be flying out to the cold weather in New England.
Enjoyed our stay.
Loved Sunshine & Lovers Beach.
Regret not taking a hike -- next time!
The view from this house made sitting around relaxing very enjoyable.
We are with a very large group and going next door (to Calypso) morning + night.
Our last day to enjoy... :)

Barbara Flanders/ Pete Forend
Vineyard Haven, MA -- Martha’s Vineyard

Feb. 19, 2007

Tomorrow we will leave Iris -- our home for the past month.
We have thoroughly enjoyed our time here and shall
dream about sitting on the verandah during the chilly
New England days ahead.
Next year we hope to come back for two months.

Gareth & Earl Anderson, Surry, NH

Jan 30 - Feb 13, 2007

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay here at Upper Calypso.
The house was well appointed to support 2 couples.
In addition to all the compliments in the previous entries
we would like to restate the following:
Spectacular view from the balcony!
Perfect pool to beat the afternoon heat!
Perfect verandah for enjoying the sunset and “the green flash”!
This is the second time Toni & I have stayed in Nevis.
I have surmised that: those people who tell you “the second trip to
an island is never as good as the first”... have never been to Nevis.

Sandy & Carolyn, Toni & Ian, Ottawa, Canada

January 2007

We had a wonderful week at Upper Calypso.
We parasailed on Pinney Beach just south of 4 Seasons,
and had several good dives starting at Scuba Safari (Oualie Beach).
Coconut Grove was lovely, but seemingly overpriced for dinner.
Ms. June’s was expensive at $85/person, but the four hour dining experience
there was unique...
The beaches at Nisbett, Pinney and Oualie were all terrific.
the weather was lovely (1/5/07 - 1/14/07), and we had a splendid time.
The pace here suited us better than the one in St. Kitts where we
spent a day...
All in all, a great time, and the villa was just right.
Thanks.

The Steinitz Family, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Jan. 2, 2007

We are sad to be leaving this beautiful island and the 18 family
members we were here with.
We all enjoyed the beach, Nevis itself and our “Iris” home!

Jim, Denise, Patudi and Clay Garrett

Christmas 2006 - New Year 2007

A family reunion made really special by this amazing place.
We all (ages 1-58) had a ball!
We could write a book... but need to catch our plane.
Thanks!!

The Garretts, Washington D.C. Cleveland, OH, Kansas City

Jan 7, 2006

Thanks a lot to the hosts for letting us stay in such a beautiful place!
I like the villas a lot and the paradise around.
I met lots of interesting creatures here; my brother even bumped
into a monkey on the stairway.
Also, the beaches were great -- nothing burned me in the water
or outside, which is rarely the case.
People in Nevis are so nice and seem to have a relaxed and fun
lifestyle; I met lots of new friends!
Also, the company here was great and it was fun to see everyone!

Tanya Yarmola, NYC

11-27-05 to 12-2-05

What a wonderful place to vacation.
We had a good family reunion coming from Wisc - Fla - Maryland - S Carolina and Nevis.
Thanks, Calypso.

The Dixon and Owens and the Ichneeder and Johnson families.

23/7/05-20/8/05

Thank you Calypso for your protection for 4 wonderful weeks of sun, sea, and fresh food.
We enjoyed our stay.

Mr & Mrs Haughton and Mr & Mrs Smithen from: Birmingham, England.

June 8th-15th, 2005

We came to Nevis for my brother’s wedding, which took place at Nisbett.
Much of our party stayed at the Calypso and many family gatherings occurred here.
I loved the view and enjoyed sitting on the porch any time of day or night.
We even did yoga together one morning.
It was wonderful to walk down to Oualie Beach.
We got some exercise coming back up the hill.
Activities:

We enjoyed the horse riding at Nevis Equestrian --
saw many monkeys up close

Snorkeling -- I saw the most fish and creatures past the point at Oualie Beach.
We had better luck with clear waters early in the day.
We also snorkeled at Nisbet, which had rougher water.

Island tour -- neat to see the other side of the island

Taxis -- Sydney Jeffers drove us a lot -- he’s great and also goes by Dr. Love.
If you want a very wild ride,
try the bus called "Buffalo Soldier" that passes by.

Food -- Rumours has great punch; Sunshines is fun; Oualie Beach -- good food and people, great bar!

We must go now -- so sad! Cheers,

Paxton family (Florida).

May 3-7, 2005

We came to Nevis for my daughter’s wedding and were pleasantly surprised
how beautiful it is here.
We actually live on St. Croix, V.I., which is also beautiful,
but there is something magical here.
Our stay at calypso and iris was perfect for us.
There were nine adults and five children and we were all comfortable.
The views of the ocean and mountains and St. Kitts are breathtaking.
The accommodations are very adequate and reasonable.
Having a pool on premises was great.
All said, our family had a great time, and if we ever come back to Nevis,
we’ll try to stay at calypso and Iris.
Thank you for sharing your home with us.

Gary and Linda Surdyke and families.

February, 2005

Normally we prefer to spend our winters at home in NYC in the snow, cold,
and pollution, so it was tough to come to Nevis, with its turquoise waters,
gentle breezes, and flawless sunsets.
Throw in a beautiful house with fantastic views and you can imagine how we suffered!
Still we’ll be back soon for another doze of hardship.

Alain and Man Yin.

January, 2005

We had a pleasant time in this wonderful house in Oualie.
We were so lucky to find this house on such short notice.
On the veranda we spent many hours in the evenings and during breakfast.
On the barbeque grill we cooked some of the delicious things we could
find on this island (and in the sea).
The lobster was magnificent.
If dining out we could recommend restaurants like Bananas Bistro, and an experience
of its own is a visit to Sunshines bar to have a "Killerbee" followed
by a complete dinner in the sunset.
Now when we are going back to the snowy streets of Sweden we will
remember the good days in Nevis.
Maybe some day we will be back!!!
Thank you!
Joyfully

The Magnusson Family, Stockholm, Sweden.

Russ and his fiancee had a wedding at Calypso/Iris in February 2005. From his e-mail:

Maria-

Got back about a week ago now and the stay down there was awesome.
That is quite a place that you have there,
everyone that stayed there was very impressed.
Shirley was a life saver with the food and it was really good stuff....
we would recommend her to anyone... and she is one of the best and
happiest people that I have met in some time.
Thanks again for letting us share you place.... hopefully someday
we will be contacting you again for a revisit to the paradise of Nevis.
Don't hesitate to contact me if you need anything from me.

Russ [California]

X-mas 2001/ New Year 2002

What a beautiful spot!
Came back to the villa for sunset every night.
Highlights too many starting with breakfast on
the veranda with a full rainbow!!
Hiking Nevis Peak with ropes to help you up,
the Source at Golden Rock climbing the ladder
at the end to a special waterfall and coming
back to a delicious lunch at the hotel and
feeding their parrot french fries (his favorite).
No one compares to Lynell
and his knowledge of plants, and Nevis history
hiking with him to Devil's Copper and Saddle Hill.
A very special man with a lot of passion for Nevis.
Beach and swimming - Lovers Beach, Pinney's and Nesbit.
As far as the food - lots of choices: lunch - Sunshines, Beachcomber,
Golden Rock, Hermitage, Nesbit Plantation;
dinner - Miss June's, Bananas, Cla Cha Del,
Tequila Sheila, Sunshines.
Breakfast - buy your groceries at Tony's or Rams and eat
on the veranda.
Special note: Frederick
and I couldn't find a place open X-Mas night
and we drove by Miss June's and saw lots of
cars.
So we went in.
Miss June was having her annual X-Mas party and she
asked us to stay.
It was a memorable night to say the least.
I loved doing my yoga practice watching the sun go
down.
It was magical.

Much love, Jody, NYC.

March 23, 2001

We had a wonderful and restful week.
I suggest renting a car (Jeeps and Suzukis are
fun on the bumpy roads) since you have so
much more freedom.
Oualie Beach is great and the snorkeling by the rocks is
fantastic (lots of lobsters, too).
Windsurfing lessons with Roy were fun too!
Pinney's Beach is great; you can
watch the pelicans dive while you eat at Sunshines.
For food Miss June's is
fabulous and try the banana pudding at Bananas.
Lunch at golden Rock
Plantation was good but avoid the lobster
sandwich unless you are a mayo freak.
Four Seasons is really nice but expensive (stay
away from the swordfish and kids buffet).
If you go to St. Kitts,
eat at Spratters which is only open for dinner, and
Stonewall's.

Yikes! 10 days passes so quickly in Paradise!
We schemed daily for a way
to make a living in West Indies and to make it
a regular gig.
But for now, we'll have
to settle for the pictures and the memories.
Nevis is such a wonderful
island, and Calypso a delightful spot upon
her.
We've enjoyed most every moment.

Sarah and Joe Perrrotto (Vermont, USA)

December, 2000

Ahh... Paradise found!
The three musketeers of diving arrived cold and
bone-weary from a year of hard work and a
winter of early snowstorms.
After soaking in the breathtaking view, gorgeous sun
and amazing diving we are now rested,
rejuvenated and ready to tackle 2001.
The dive operation at Oualie was the highlight
of our stay in the island paradise.
Ellis, Rusty, and Deuce were all real professionals
and superb at finding underwater wildlife.
The time (10 days) has flown by...
Time truly flows here in its own
lilting way.
Makes us wonder if we have overcomplicated and
overbusied our lives back home...
Thank you Nevis and Villa Calypso - we shall return!

Judy & Steve (Boston) and Byron (Wilmington, NC)

Decmeber, 2000

What an amazing place. We've
enjoyed every day of living in this picture
postcard.
Villa Calypso is an ideal home away from home.
The weather, the food, the rainbow, the friendly people -
where do we start? Our suggestions:
catamaran with Lennox, water taxi to Turtle
Beach and have lobster salad while the
monkeys entertain you (or vice versa), Lovers'
Beach as often as you can, hike to the Source
with Lynell from Golden Rock Plantation, and
spend some time at the beach at Nisbet.
That should keep you busy for a while!
Best grocery store to shop at is Ram's on the
far side of Charlestown.
Avoid Everton the cab driver at Turtle Beach and
make sure your rental car has good tires!
We expect our warm memories of this paradise will keep
us warm for the winter.

Enjoy - Bev & Bobbie Allen.

April 16-24, 2000

Four of us (Americans) spent a whole week in
Upper Calypso, and enjoyed our stay very
much.
The house on the hill had all the
comforts of home yet we were able to relax
and forget the stress of life "back home".
The view from the veranda is spectacular.
Remote yet so close to so many activities.
We windsurfed, mountain biked, snorkeled, kayaked, scuba
dived, swam, hiked to the top of Nevis Peak,
and toured the island.
We did most of our own cooking but enjoyed a couple of
dinners out in local restaurants.
We didn't rent a car but we were able to get
around nicely on bike, with taxis, and on the
local bus.
We hired T.C. to give us a 2.5 hour tour with a wealth of
information.
Also hired guide Jim Johnson with "Top to Bottom" to guide
us to the Nevis Peak (5 hrs).
Mom's Maxi Taxi was a safe cautious driver.
We reluctantly leave today by the 1:15 ferry to
spend a night on St. Kitts, and Tuesday
return to reality.
Thanks Pat for being a concerned and gracious host, and thanks
Nevis for an extremely relaxing vacation.

We've had a perfect holiday!
tranquil, breezy, warm -- even the rain showers were
gentle and brought double rainbows in their wake.
What a glorious view!
And the beach was perfect for swimming and
exploring.
The house is luxurious!
We pitied people staying in
the hotels while we enjoyed most of the
amenities and had so much more space and
quiet and privacy.
We explored the island a bit every day and tried to arrange an
event (more or less) every day.
The nature walk at Golden Rock, a visit to Nisbet
Plantation and Mount Nevis Hotel, a walk
along Pinney's Beach, a snorkeling trip to
St. Kitts, horseback riding, etc.
We haven't seen or heard the news in a week
and don't miss it at all.
A complete otherworldly retreat like nothing we've
experienced before.
We hope to return!
Thank you so much for making this vacation special!

Jeanne, Peter, and Emily Kempthorne

July, 1999

"maginificent" - this is the word we'd use to describe properly this
spacious, luxirious, and cozy villa, with its big verandas and really gorgeous view of the sea,
and especially our every day swimmings in the transaparant water, always calm and inviting.
Here we have lost the count of days, being absolutely relaxed.
Whenever possible, we will come here again.
Thank you, Nevis! Thank you, Villa Calypso!